Red Flame - Westminster

At first, I thought the portions looked a bit small based on the pictures, but I was pleasantly surprised— the portions turned out to be quite generous! We ordered two hot pots, which were more than enough to feed our group of five, along with two top sirloin steaks and some noodle dishes. Luckily, our table had six very hungry people, and even though everyone ate their fill, we still had leftovers! Everything was absolutely delicious! This place is one of those spots where conversation comes to a standstill as everyone dives into their food— it was that good! To top it off, the bill averaged about $15 per person, which was great because I ended up leaving an extra tip for their fantastic service!

We arrived on a Friday night at around 6:45 PM. My daughter had a craving for hot pot, so we decided to try Red Flame. We were seated immediately. We ordered the Red Flame special, along with Japanese miso and ribeye steak. The food was served fairly quickly, and we had no complaints about the quality of the food or the bill.

I was quite disappointed with the food during my visit. The noodles seemed stale, as if they had been cooked some time ago and simply reheated for my meal. The fish balls lacked any flavor. Despite ordering a variety of dishes, not a single one stood out as being decent. Perhaps it was just an off day for them. I've heard they are famous for their hot pots, which I didn't try. Maybe I should have chosen that instead.

I had a great experience overall. The house special was particularly enjoyable. The only reason I’m giving it a 4-star rating instead of 5 is that the wait staff wasn’t very attentive. Additionally, there’s no way to turn off the flame without their help, so my hotpot was boiling away for nearly 10 minutes before I could get them to extinguish it. Just a heads up: don’t try to blow it out on your own!

We decided to try the house special hot pot and the Japanese nebel, and for drinks, we ordered oolong tea, milk tea, and lychee fruit tea. They had run out of regular boba, so we opted for crystal boba instead. As for the hot pot, the broth was delicious, and the portion sizes were just right. However, the meat was slightly overcooked and a bit gritty. If the broth gets too hot, you can always ask the server to adjust the heat for you. The boba in my drink was a bit too sweet for my taste, so I’ll remember to request less sweetness next time. My friend's drink, on the other hand, had the perfect level of sweetness. The boba itself was fine, and the drinks didn’t feel too heavy. Though the service felt a bit rushed, it worked well for us since we prefer a fast-paced dining experience. Overall, we had a good time!